Mail-bag delivering and receiving apparatus.



0. GUNTHER. MAIL BAG DELIVERING AND BEOEIVING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION IILBD OUT. 8, 1908. v

- Patented Mar. 2, 1909.

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Wihtmu LM We Y O. GUNTHER.

MAIL BAG DELIVERING AND RECEIVING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 8, 1908.

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MAIL-BAG DELIVERING AND RECEIVING APPARATUS.

Application filed October 8, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSKAR GUNTHER, citizen of the United States,residing at Kellogg, in the county of Shoshone and State of Idaho, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Delivering andReceiving Apparatus, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in mail-bag delivering andreceiving apparatus.

The object of this invention is the roduction of means for facilitatingthe delivery of mail-bags to and from a moving car.

Another object of this invention is the production of a mail bagreceiving apparatus, which will after the bag has been deliveredthereon, be thrown out of the way of passing trains.

Still another object of this invention is the production of a mail-bagdelivering and receiving apparatus which is simple in construction,eflicient in operation and consists of a comparatively small number ofparts.

With these and other objects in view, this invention consists of certainnovel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will behereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing my improvedapparatus in connection with a car. Fig. 2 is a plan view of themail-receiving apparatus. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of thelocking device, for holding the receiving apparatus in an operativeposition. Fig. 4 is a detail of one of the ends, of the mail-bagsupporting means. Fig. 5 is a detail of the connecting means,

1 connecting the upper outwardly extending arm and the vertical rod ofthe mail-bag supporting means carried by the car. Fig. 6 is a detailsectional view of the joint of the lower sectional supporting arm.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 designates a mail-bag receivingfork, which is carried by the car, and journaled at each end in abracket 2. The fork 1 is adapted to receive a mail-bag, supported to oneside of the car. Angle brackets 3 and 4 are secured to the out side ofthe car upon each side of the door. Apertures 5 are formed in brackets 3and 4, for the receipt of the vertical rod 6 of the mail-bag supportingdevice. A hook 12 a is so positioned upon the bracket 4 so as to limitthe movement of the mail-bag sup orting device in one direction. Thevertica rod Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 2, 1909.

Serial No. 456,743.

6 is provided with a square portion 7, upon a i which fits a sleeve orcylindrical number 8 and a thumb screw 9 passes through said sleeve 8and firmly secures said sleeve to said vertical rod 6. The sleeve orcylindrical portion is formed upon the inner end of the upper outwardlyextending arm 10. The lower arm 11 is fixedly secured at its inner end12 to the vertical rod 6.

Upon the outer end of each of the outwardly extending arms 10 and 11 ispositioned a catch device 13 for engaging rings upon each end of a mailbag. This catch device consists of a pivoted member 13, which ispivotally mounted in the bifurcated ends 14 of said rods or arms. A flatspring 15 is fixedly secured at its inner end to the outer end of saidrod or arm and said spring is bowed inwardly near its outer end andengages the outer end of the pivoted member 13. When the bag is caught,to be removed from the catch device 13 the pivoted member 13 will swingupon its ivot and the bag can be removed or wit drawn from the swingingmember 13 which will swing to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig.4 and indi cated by 13 thereby allowing the bag to be easily removedfrom said member 13.

Positioned to one side of the track is a standard 16, which is providedwith an upper bifurcated end 17 in which is pivotally mounted an arm 18,which carries at one end a weight 19 and at its opposite end acatchdevice 13. The purpose of the weight is to raise the arm 18, in avertical position out of the way of passing trains. Below the arm 18 ispositioned a sectional arm 20, which is secured at its inner end to thestandard 16. The upper section 21 of the arm 20 is hinged to the outerend of the section 22 at 23, and as soon as the mail-bag is removed offthe catch device 13 carried by the arms 18 and 20, section 21 will dropdown out of the way of passing trains. The section 21 is provided withan inner bifurcated end 21 in which fits the reduced extension 22 formedupon the outer end of the section 22 of the lower arm 20, therebyforming a hinge connecting said sections together. The reduced extension 22 is provided with a cut-out portion 22 and a pin 22 is positionedthrough the bifurcated end and through said cut-out portion in saidreduced extension 22 so as to limit the upward movement of the section21 of the arm 20.

The mail receiving device 24 is secured to the section 22 of the arm 20by means of the means of the pin 28 passing through the per.

foration in said lugs, 26. The locking member 27 is rovided at its innerend with a downwardly extending portion, which passes through the aerture 29 in the cylindrical portion 25. otches 30 are formed upon thesection 22 of the arm 20 and said downwardly extending portion of themember or trigger 27 engages in said notches and holds the receivingdevice 24 in a position, so as to receive a mail-bag supported by themail-bag supporting device carried by the car.

The jaw 31 is pivotally mounted upon the jaw 26 at 32 and said arm isprovided at its inner end with a in 33, which pin extends forconsiderable istance upon each side of the jaw or arm 31. Connected nearthe end 33 is a cable 34, which is provided at oneend with a head 35,which is positioned in a cylinder 36, which cylinder is supported fromthe sides of the section 22 of the arm 20 by means of brackets 37. Aspring 38 is positioned around the cable 34 having one end restingagainst the hook 35 and the other resting against the end 39 ofthecylinder 36.

A chain 40 is secured to the outer end of the jaw 31 at 41 and to theinner end of the trigger 42 at 43. The trigger 42 is provided with aforked end 44, which straddles the jaw 31 near its outer end. The jaw orrod 26 is I provided with a notch 45 and the end 46 of the trigger 42 isadapted to engage in said notch. By this means the outerends of themembers or jaws 26 and 31 are held a art, but as soon as the trigger 42is struck y the bag, said trigger will be knocked out of the notch 45 ofthe jaw 26 and by means of the spring 38 positioned around the cable 34in the cylinder 36, the jaw 31 will immediately close and thereby holdthe mail-bag between the jaws. When the jaw 31 is swung in a closedposition, the pin 33 which extends both above and below the jaw 31 willengage the member or latch device 27 and withdraw the down wardlyextending end from the notch 30 and the receiving device 24 will beallowed to swing downwardly out of the way of moving trains.

When it is desired to receive mail from trains passing in the oppositedirection from that shown in the drawing, the arm or jaw 31 may beplaced upon the opposite side of the jaw 26 and the whole device rotatedand the same held in the position to receive the mail-bag by means ofthe lever or member 27 engaging one of the notches 30 upon the oppositeside of the section 22 of the arm 20.

The mail-bag supporting means carried by the car may be placed upon theopposite side of the door from that shown in the drawing, in case thecar is desired to be moved inthe opposite direction.

' What I claim is:

1. In an apparatus of the character. described, the combination with asupport, of brackets secured to said support, said brackets providedwith apertures, mail-bag supporting means pivotally mounted "within saidapertures, said mail-bag. supporting means comprising a vertical rod, anupper and lower arm extending therefrom, means positioned upon the endsof said arms for retaining a mail-bag, and a hook-shaped mem ber securedto said bracketand straddling the lower arm and limiting the rotarymovement of said mail bagsupport'ing means in one direction.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with amail-bag supporting means, of a vertical rod, an outwardly. extendingarm, a square portion formed upon said vertical rod near one end, asleeve formed upon one. end of said arm, said sleeve provided with meansfor register ing with said square portion upon said vertical rod, andathumbscrew assing through said sleeve and engaging sai square portionfor the purpose specified.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with asupport, said support provided with a bifurcated end, of an armpivotally mounted in said bifurcated end, means formed upon one end ofsaid arm for engaging a mail-bag, and means formed upon the opposite endof said arm for raising said first mentioned end of said arm, of asectional arm, said arm comprising an outer section, said outer sectionprovided at its inner end with a bifurcated end, said inner sectionprovided at its outer end with a reduced extension, said extensionivotally mounted within said bifurcate end, and a cut-out portion formedupon one side of said reduced extension, a pin passing through saidbifurcated end and through said cut out portion and means connected tothe outer end. of said outer section and to said first mentioned arm forholding said outer section in connection with said inner section.

4. In an apparatus of the character, described, the combination, of amail-bag supporting arm provided with a mail-bag catching meansrotatably mounted thereon, means connected to said mail-bag catchingmeans for normally-holding said catching means in a set position, so asto receive a bag delivered from a moving car. 7 7 V 5. In an apparatusof the character 'described, the combination with a supporting arm, of amail bag receiving device rotatably mounted thereon, notches formed uponsaid nected to said receiving device and engaging with said notches uponsaid supporting arm for holding said receiving device in an operativeposition.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with asupporting arm provided with notches formed therein, of mail-bagreceiving means rotatably mounted thereon, said receiving meanscomprising a sleeve provided with an aperture in one side thereof, earsformed upon one side of said sleeve, a latch pivotally mounted betweensaid ears and passing through said aperture and engaging the notchesformed upon said supporting arm.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with amail-bag receiving means, a stationary jaw and a movable j aw, meansconnected to one end of said movable jaw and exerting an inward pullthereon, a trigger secured upon one end to the outer end of saidstationary jaw and straddling at its other end the stationary jaw andmeans adapted to spring the trigger and close said aws.

8. In an apparatus of the character de scribed the combination with amail-bag receiving means comprising a stationary jaw, and a movable jawpivotally mounted thereon, of a trigger positioned between the ends ofsaid jaw, and adapted to hold said ends apart, said trigger providedwith a forked end, said forked end straddling the outer end of saidpivoted jaw, and a chain attached to said outer end and said forked endof said trigger, and means secured to the opposite end of said pivotedaw and exerting an inward pull for closing said jaws when said triggeris detached therefrom.

9. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with asupporting arm, of a mail bag receiving means mounted thereon, saidmeans provided with a stationary jaw, brackets secured to saidsupporting arm, said brackets supporting at one end a casing, a cablesecured to one end of said pivoted jaw, a plunger positioned within saidcasing, and means positioned around said cable in said casing forexerting an inward pressure upon said plunger.

10. In an apparatus of the character described the combination with asupporting arm, of a mail-bag supporting means mounted upon saidsupporting arm and adapted to be rotated upon said supporting arm, saidmeans comprising a plurality of jaws, one jaw pivotally mounted upon theother jaw, means positioned between the outer ends of said jaws fornormally holding said ends apart, means connected to the opposite end ofsaid pivoted jaw for exerting an inward pull, means passing through saidjaw near said end and cooperating with means positioned upon said other,for allowing said catching means to rotate.

' 11. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with asupporting arm, of a mail -bag supporting means mounted thereon, saidmeans comprising a sleeve and a stationary jaw, said sleeve formed uponone end of said stationary jaw, means positioned upon said sleeve andpassing through said sleeve for. holding the catching means in anoperative position, and a pivoted jaw secured to said stationary jaw andprovided with means upon its inner end for engaging said means upon saidstationary arm for rotating said receiving means.

12. In an apparatus of the character described the combination with asupporting arm, of a receiving device, mounted thereon, said receivingdevice comprising a stationary arm provided with a sleeve formed uponone end thereof and straddling said supporting arm, a latch device,secured to sa1d sleeve and passing through the same, notches formed uponsaid stationary jaw, said pivoted jaw mounted upon said stationary jaw,said pivoted jaw provided at its inner end with a pin, said pin adaptedto engage said trigger or latch and withdraw the same from said notchesand allow said receiving means to rotate, and means connected to saidend of said pivoted member for exerting inward pressure upon saidpivoted jaw.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

OSKAR GUNTI-IER.

Witnesses:

JOHN N IEWIERA, Jam. 0. BonLEY.

